NASA wants fleet of space planes

Edited by Lara Weber (and Michael MorganCHICAGO TRIBUNE

NASA is awarding $135 million to three major aerospace companies to begin designing what could become a multibillion-dollar fleet of orbital space planes just big enough to ferry crews of about four astronauts back and forth to the international space station.

The space agency wants a modest system that will break no new technological barriers but instead reduce costs and improve safety.